How Wrestling Has Changed Since 9/11
Responding to tragedy, the Vince McMahon way.
11 September 2001. One of the most tragic days in human history. An unfathomable, senseless day of great suffering, destruction, and distress, caused by a series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda across the United States of America, bringing the world to its knees.
Sweeping changes came to almost every aspect of modern life. In the entertainment industry, countless films were either altered or cancelled, the 53 Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were rescheduled from 16 September to 7 October, the 2nd Latin Grammy Awards were scrapped, and swathes of MLB, NFL, and MLS games were postponed or shelved, and the list goes on.
Everything was disrupted, but Vince McMahon and WWE stood defiant. The Chairman vowed to not "let the terrorists win," holding a special 9/11 tribute episode of SmackDown in Houston, Texas, on 13 September. It was a heartwrenching show and the biggest public assembly of its size since the tragic events, but not WWE's only response to the tragedies.
The best and worst of McMahon's character is exposed in the list within, though his nobler replies to 11 September undoubtedly deserve the highest praise possible...
7. The Un-Americans
A textbook anti-USA statement, The Un-Americans came together in June 2002 - nine months after 9/11.
Originally a trio comprised of Canadian wrestlers Test, Christian, and Lance Storm, they claimed WWE had been discriminating against them and their countrymen for years. They used the Montreal Screwjob as an example and were initially called The Anti-Americans before taking on their better-known monicker in August, and carried an upside-down American flag to the ring in order to draw heat from an audience for whom 9/11 was still an extremely hurtful topic, making this one of Vince McMahon's least tactful ways to generate heat for an act.
Whether it was in good taste or not (hint: it wasn't), the tactic worked. The group was expanded to include William Regal and drew exorbitant heat, primarily through their attempts at setting fire to Old Glory on WWE television, only to be stopped by the likes of Kane, Bradshaw, Booker T, and Goldust.
The Un-Americans disbanded after just three months, with writer Bruce Prichard revealing on a 2018 episode of his Something to Wrestle podcast that the quartet felt uncomfortable drawing that kind of heat. Thus, WWE pulled them apart.